7:1 During 1 the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel marched up to Jerusalem 2 to do battle, but they were unable to prevail against it. 3
10:24 So 4 here is what the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, says: “My people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of Assyria, even though they beat you with a club and lift their cudgel against you as Egypt did. 5
42:16 I will lead the blind along an unfamiliar way; 6
I will guide them down paths they have never traveled. 7
I will turn the darkness in front of them into light,
and level out the rough ground. 8
This is what I will do for them.
I will not abandon them.
44:19 No one thinks to himself,
nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves:
‘I burned half of it in the fire –
yes, I baked bread over the coals;
I roasted meat and ate it.
With the rest of it should I make a disgusting idol?
Should I bow down to dry wood?’ 9
45:11 This is what the Lord says,
the Holy One of Israel, 10 the one who formed him,
concerning things to come: 11
“How dare you question me 12 about my children!
How dare you tell me what to do with 13 the work of my own hands!
50:2 Why does no one challenge me when I come?
Why does no one respond when I call? 14
Is my hand too weak 15 to deliver 16 you?
Do I lack the power to rescue you?
Look, with a mere shout 17 I can dry up the sea;
I can turn streams into a desert,
so the fish rot away and die
from lack of water. 18
56:6 As for foreigners who become followers of 19 the Lord and serve him,
who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants –
all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,
and who are faithful to 20 my covenant –
58:5 Is this really the kind of fasting I want? 21
Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, 22
bowing their heads like a reed
and stretching out 23 on sackcloth and ashes?
Is this really what you call a fast,
a day that is pleasing to the Lord?
65:8 This is what the Lord says:
“When 24 juice is discovered in a cluster of grapes,
someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for it contains juice.’ 25
So I will do for the sake of my servants –
I will not destroy everyone. 26
65:12 I predestine you to die by the sword, 27
all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, 28
because I called to you, and you did not respond,
I spoke and you did not listen.
You did evil before me; 29
you chose to do what displeases me.”
66:4 So I will choose severe punishment 30 for them;
I will bring on them what they dread,
because I called, and no one responded,
I spoke and they did not listen.
They did evil before me; 31
they chose to do what displeases me.”
1 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
2 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
3 tn Or perhaps, “but they were unable to attack it.” This statement sounds like a summary of the whole campaign. The following context explains why they were unable to defeat the southern kingdom. The parallel passage (2 Kgs 16:5; cf. Num 22:11; 1 Sam 17:9 for a similar construction) affirms that Syria and Israel besieged Ahaz. Consequently, the statement that “they were not able to battle against them” must refer to the inability to conquer Ahaz.
4 tn Heb “therefore.” The message that follows is one of encouragement, for it focuses on the eventual destruction of the Assyrians. Consequently “therefore” relates back to vv. 5-21, not to vv. 22-23, which must be viewed as a brief parenthesis in an otherwise positive speech.
5 tn Heb “in the way [or “manner”] of Egypt.”
6 tn Heb “a way they do not know” (so NASB); NRSV “a road they do not know.”
7 tn Heb “in paths they do not know I will make them walk.”
8 tn Heb “and the rough ground into a level place.”
9 tn There is no formal interrogative sign here, but the context seems to indicate these are rhetorical questions. See GKC 473 §150.a.
10 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
11 tc The Hebrew text reads “the one who formed him, the coming things.” Among various suggestions, some have proposed an emendation of יֹצְרוֹ (yotsÿro, “the one who formed him”) to יֹצֵר (yotser, “the one who forms”; the suffixed form in the Hebrew text may be influenced by vv. 9-10, where the same form appears twice) and takes “coming things” as the object of the participle (either objective genitive or accusative): “the one who brings the future into being.”
12 tn Heb “Ask me” The rhetorical command sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
13 tn Heb “Do you command me about…?” The rhetorical question sarcastically expresses the Lord’s disgust with those who question his ways.
14 sn The present tense translation of the verbs assumes that the Lord is questioning why Israel does not attempt to counter his arguments. Another possibility is to take the verbs as referring to past events: “Why did no one meet me when I came? Why did no one answer when I called?” In this case the Lord might be asking why Israel rejected his calls to repent and his offer to deliver them.
15 tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).
16 tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).
17 tn Heb “with my rebuke.”
18 tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”
19 tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”
20 tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”
21 tn Heb “choose” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “wish.”
22 tn Heb “a day when man humbles himself.” The words “Do I want” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
23 tn Or “making [their] bed.”
24 tn Heb “just as.” In the Hebrew text the statement is one long sentence, “Just as…, so I will do….”
25 tn Heb “for a blessing is in it.”
26 tn Heb “by not destroying everyone.”
27 tn Heb “I assign you to the sword.” Some emend the Qal verb form מָנִיתִי (maniti, “I assign”) to the Piel מִנִּיתִי (minniti, “ I ordain”). The verb sounds like the name of the god Meni (מְנִי, mÿni, “Destiny, Fate”). The sound play draws attention to the irony of the statement. The sinners among God’s people worship the god Meni, apparently in an effort to ensure a bright destiny for themselves. But the Lord is the one who really determines their destiny and he has decreed their demise.
28 tn Or “at the slaughter”; NIV “for the slaughter”; NLT “before the executioner.”
29 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”
30 tn The precise meaning of the noun is uncertain. It occurs only here and in 3:4 (but see the note there). It appears to be derived from the verbal root עָלַל (’alal), which can carry the nuance “deal severely.”
31 tn Heb “that which is evil in my eyes.”